There
is something very deplorable about the public conduct of some Nigerian leaders
and their spouses in government. They do not only act insensitive to the
plights of ordinary Nigerians over whom they rule, they are examples of what
leadership is not.
More
often than not, our leaders do not act as people well groomed with the right
moral or values before assuming office. Nor does it appear they were versed in
requisite ideals, considering the corrupting influence of absolute power which
they wield.
These
issues become imperative in view of the way which some Nigerian ‘first ladies’
now foul the public space. Not content with being good wives and private
advisers to their ruling husbands, these first ladies have since turned
themselves to rulers in their own right.
Right
under the watch of their permissive husbands, they now constitute themselves
into parallel governments, accorded all the perks, paraphernalia, privileges
and protection of public office. They have offices, monetary allocations,
advisers and special advisers, and travelling entourage, just like their
husbands. And they go about touring or inaugurating one public project or the
other, just like elected leaders.
Many
angry public-spirited Nigerians have always condemned this unconstitutional
abuse of public office and resources by the first ladies, but the excesses are
not curbed.
Agreed,
there are some first ladies at state level who undertake pet projects that
touch positively the citizens’ lives. However, the intoxicating preoccupation
with public show of power, authority and influence has dwarfed commitment to
lofty public causes in the hearts of our attention-seeking first ladies.
Thus,
most of them see governance under their husbands’ leadership as a family
affair. So, rather than advise and help their husbands to be true servants of
the people, the First Ladies only help to worsen the excesses of government.
They contribute to public perception of Nigerian leaders as self-seeking
revellers and anti-people bullies. And if anyone should criticise their
husbands’ leadership foibles, they curse them.
In
recent times, no other Nigerian First Lady has exemplified this impunity like
the present. Apart from condemning criticisms of her husband, she has been
bestriding the public space with the abrasive powers of an insensitive visiting
First Lady wherever she goes. When she is not visiting some states on a
nebulous peace advocacy, she is on the road to others for glib reasons.
Now,
nobody is begrudging our First Lady her right to visit anywhere she likes
within and outside Nigeria. But the bullying entourage she goes around with and
the resultant excessive disruption to public order and convenience is now a
cause for concern. Not even the visits of her husband, the President, to
different parts of the country cause such a level of public distress.
Yet, Mr. President’s own visits are of more important nature.
Not
long ago this year, the people of Oyo State had brazen indignity unleashed on
them by the overzealous security details of the First Lady when she visited
Ibadan on her so-called peace advocacy. Traffic around the reception venue was
hellish. As the media reported then, security men harassed and battered
innocent people who made the mistake of going to the venue to welcome Her
Excellency.
Top Oyo
State government officials, including commissioners, were not spared. They were
harassed, embarrassed and turned back from accessing the venue.
Next,
it was the turn of Lagos State to experience the disruptive hurricane of Her
Excellency’s visit in April. On that unlucky Thursday, April 11, Lagosians
experienced one of the worst traffic nightmares of their lives. The whole
stretch of pivotal Ademola Adetokunbo Street on Victoria Island was cordoned
off. Why? Her Excellency was meeting with South-South women at the Ocean View
Restaurant.
She
came all the way from Abuja to demobilise the economic heartbeat of the nation
for nine hours just to thank some women for voting for her husband in the last
general elections!
Like
many incensed Nigerians, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola condemned this
abuse of power.
Naturally,
one would expect listening ears and change of conduct to follow such
condemnations. Nothing like that happened. The impunity is only getting worse
now. And so, on Monday May 14, 2012, Delta State had its turn.
This
time, Her Excellency was in town to — wait for it — open a new beauty salon
owned by a private individual on Warri-Sapele Road! So, according to news
report, the people of Warri experienced hell as social and commercial
activities came to a standstill.
The
question now is: for how long will this kind of disruptive and oppressive
conduct by our first lady continue? Is Her Excellency not aware of the
acute emotional distress and economic loss she is inflicting on innocent
Nigerians?
Has she
seen first ladies in other climes causing public agony to citizens on account
of flimsy visits? And what is the Presidency doing to discourage this
unwholesome throwing around of federal weight?
In
these uneasy times when Nigerians are buffeted every side by terrorism and
economic hardships, what we expect to get from Their Excellencies and their
spouses are comfort, help and relief, not more pains.
Really,
the President, his wife, state governors and their wives, as well as other
public leaders need adequate security on their itineraries to and fro; but this
shouldn’t come at a high cost to public order. Would it not be nice if the same
level of overwhelming security used by aides are used to stem the activities of
murderous terrorists and criminals in the country?
Give us
a break, Your Excellencies.
BY DENNIS ONIFADE
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